Rocker side bearing



l. F. OCONNOR.

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* APPucAT o 1,308,640. v Patented July 1, 1919.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JOHN F. oooNNoIt, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssI'eNoR To WILLIAM H. MINER, or cHAzY,

. NEW YORK;

ROCKER SIDE BEARING.

Application led September 21, 1918:

ToaZZfwwm t may concern p Beit known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a ceitain new and useful Improvement in Rocker Side Bearings, .of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescriptiom reference being had to thev accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

H This invention relates to improvements in rockerside bearings.

One object of this invention is to provide an eflicient rocker side'bearing for railway cars and which comprises a minimum number of parts. Y

y Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a rocker side bearing forl railway cars whiehvwill have an action similar` to that of a side bearing employing a true anti-friction roller and which at the same time possesses the usual characteristics of a rocker bearing by which the anti-friction element is adapted to automatically return itself to normal position under the influence of gravity.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view, taken through the end portions of a car body and truck bolster, showing my iinprovements in connection therewith. And. UFig. 2 is a vertical, sectional View, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of F ig.l 1.

In said drawing, 10 denotes the upper portion of a truck bolster of a railway car and 11 the under portion of an opposed body bolster. The improved side bearing is attached to the body bolster and, as illustrated in the drawing, consists of two elements, a retaining and supporting member A and the rocker B. A cotter C is employed but the same does not form any part of the side bearing proper in the true sense.

The retaining member A is preferably in the form of a casting and is provided with perforated ears or lugs 12-12 by which it is adapted to be riveted to the body bolster. Said member A is formed with a depending hollow housing or casing, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the same comprising a vertical side or end wall 13 and a circular bottom wall 14, the latter being cut away at its lower portion, as indicated at 15, and adapted to form limiting shoulders 16-16. Said housing or casing is open at one side or end as shown in Specification of Letters Patent.'

Patented July 1, 1919. serial No. 255,042.

Figs. l and 2. On its interior, the housing o f said member A is formed with a lower circular surface 17 and also with a curved bearing surface 18 in the upper wall thereof.

The rocker B is formed with an enlarged lower end, as clearly shown in Fig. l, the under face of which is curved to form a bearing surface, as indicated at 19, and adapted. to contact with the truck bolster. The member B is formed at its upper end with an enlargement 20, said enlargement 20 having an upper curved bearing surface 21 and a lower curved surface 22. The bearing surfaces 19 and 21 of the rocker B are not only concentric but are formed of the same radius so that they, in reality, constitute separated portions of the surface of a true cylinder.V With this construction, it is evident that the action of the rocker B ,is similar to that of a true anti-friction, cylindrical roller. i.)

The enlarged upper and lower endsiof the rocker B yare connected by a tapered section, as indicated at 23, which swings within the opening 15 of said retaining member A, the sides of said connecting section 23 being adapted toengage the shoulders 16 upon eX- treme movement of the rocker. The curved surface 22 ofthe rocker corresponds to the curved surface 17 of the retaining member and is adapted to facilitate the swinging mofement of the rocker as it returns to norma The curved surface 21 of the rocker B subtends a relatively small angle and on either side thereof the rocker B is formed with shouldered portions 24-24 which are adapted to coperate with the end portions of the bearing surface 18 of the retaining member A and assist in limiting the movements of the rocker B, as will be understood. The parts are assembled by sliding the rocker endwise or sidewise within the housing of the retaining member A, after which the cotter C can be introduced through suitable perforations in the curved wall' 14k of said member A.

In normal condition of the parts, there is a slight clearance between the bearing surface 21 of the rocker and the bearing surface 18 of the member A. When the bearing comes into play, it is evident that the rocker will swing with respect to the member A while at the same time the action of an `anti-friction cylindrical roller is produced.

By curving the bearing surface 18 in the manner shown., I reduce the length of the required surface 21 and also permit of a slight bodily elevation of the rocker B so as to facilitate its return to normal under the influence of gravity. As soon as pressure is released, it is evident that the rocker B will seat itself upon the curved bearing,` surface 17 of the member A and will swing back to normal in the manner of a pendulum.

The device'is exceedingly simple, easy to manufacture and embodies the advantages of a truecylindrical roller Vand rocker side bearing without the disadvantages of the usual roller bearing which requires springs -or other devices for returning the anti-friction elements to normal after each actuation, The arrangement is also compact while at the same time I maintain a wide range of action.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, adapted to be interposed between two relatively movable elements, the comb-ination with a retaining member adapted to be se cured to one of said elements, of a rocker, said member and rocker having coperatlng but opposltely curved bearing surfaces, said rocker having also another curved 1bearing. surface adapted to engage the other of said` elements, the two curved bearing surfaces of the rocker being concentric. p

2. Ina device of the character described, the combination with a retaining member, of a rocker associated therewith, said member and rocker having integral means for detachably connecting the same and adapting the rocker for swinging movement with respect to said member, said means including a recess formed within said member and open at one side and a corresponding head on the rocker insertible sidewise within said recess.

3. In a side bearing adapted for railway cars and the like, the combination with a retaining member adapted to be secured to the under side of a body' bolster or the like, of a rocker associated with said member, said rocker having upper and lower curvedfconcentric bearing surfaces, said retaining member having an interior bearing surface coperable with said upper bearing surface of the rocker, said member having also a curved surface below the bearing surface thereof and said rocker having a coperating curved surface disposed intermediate said upper `and lower concentric bearing surfaces of the rocker.

4. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a retaining lmember having an upwardly curved bearing surface on its under side, of `an anti-friction element associated with said member, said element having upper and lower' concentric bearing surfaces struck on equal radii, the upper of said surfaces -coacting with the bearing surface of said member, integral means on vs aid member and element adapting said element to be swinginglysupported from said member and integral means on said member and element limiting the swinging movement of said elem-ent with respect to said member.

In witness lthatV I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of Sept. 1918. Y

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Y(Jopies. of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' i Washington, 1D. G. 

